Changing Time
by Guardian Hyren
Summary: Time is a fickle thing. People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff. Time- it’s always changing. Who knew that the Hōgyoku could manipulate it as well?
1. chapter 1

**Ok, first I want to clear up, I am _NOT_ abandoning ToM (Team of Misfits). I've been reading a lot of ff about Ichigo going back in time to stop a long war with Aizen from happening, and an Idea popped into my head and I really wanted to write it down. Whether I continue or not depends on whether you guys like it. However, ToM will be my main focus, and I will only update this one when I can, or when ideas spring into my head. Capiche? **

**So yeah, this is my little take on this trope. I read one from Reign of Ryane titled Rewind and Rift. Both are really amazing, and I urge you guys to check it out. So yeah, I got this idea from reading those =w='. Also, I will not do pairings. I can't do any of that stuff; and there will be grammar and spelling mistakes. Just try to ignore them, I'm typing on a really small keyboard on my phone =w=# OOC-ness.**

 _Old Man (Zangetsu/Quincy power) is in italics_

 **Zangetsu/Shiro (Hollow/Shinigami power) is bolded**

 **Anyway, DISCLAIMER!!**

 **I do NOT own Bleach. You should know this.**

 **- _GH-_**

Ten years. Ten long years, and all of it just came down to this stand off. I had watched my friends die right before my eyes, seen my enemies tear apart my family until there was nothing left. I watched the very man- no- _monster_ infront of me raze the Seireitei to the ground. Only a handful of the captains remain, though gravely wounded, but still persist to hold of the opposing army. Most of the shinigami perished on the battlefield.

My two blades in hand, a trench knife which symbolized my Quincy abilities, and a large khyber knife, which symbolized my shinigami/hollow abilities. My two sword spirits staying by my side no matter what, giving me comfort and becoming my eyes and ears within battle. A hollow mask on my face.

The monster infront of me, is the entire cause of all of this destruction. He is Sosuke Aizen, an ex-shinigami, a traitor, and a murder. He "evolved" into something grotesque, not even human like anymore.

"You are the last obstacle in my way of creating the new world, Kurosaki Ichigo. Your attempt at stopping me is noble, however, it is useless. Let us end it here!"

"Ten years of war, because of you, Aizen. I swear, I will stop you, so yeah. Let's end it here and now!"

I raised my blades, my reishi flowing around me and into the blades. Aizen got into a stance, and charged at me, and I retaliated. We clashed, and the force caused a crater to appear in the ground bellow us. What was left of my shihakusho and my long hair (that reach to the nape of his neck) being blown back.

Sparks flew as we parried each other. Our energy fighting against one another to gain the upper hand. I felt it though, a small shift in his reishi. I could feel it reaching out to me, and I didn't like it one bit.

' _I'm not going to let you win! I'm not going to let you destroy everything!_ '

His energy reacted to mine pushing back on his, and what resulted a blinding light.

Next thing I know, I was pushed back, and had the wind knocked out of me. Instantly knocking me unconscious.

 **- _GH-_**

Kisuke watched, in the barren area where Ichigo Kurosaki was battling Sosuke Aizen. He was originally not going to interfere, however, just when Ichigo was about to land the final blow with Mugetsu, there was a blinding flash of light.

When the dust cleared, all he saw was Ichigo, who looked like he did before he did Mugetsu, except with X tattoos on his arms and chest, and a trenchknife by his side.

' _Where did he get those?_ "

On the other side was, what he believed to be, the remains of Sosuke Aizen. Charred patches of flesh, deep lacerations upon his _(it's??_ ) body, and a large hole where the hōgyoku was.

Kisuke's eyes widened, ' _the hōgyoku! Where is it?!'_

Reluctantly he went over to "Aizen's" body layed. He had check before he came for his reishi signature, but found none. Signifying that he was indeed dead.

Kisuke looked everywhere, but couldn't find any trace of the destructive sphere anywhere. Not even an energy print, meaning that it must have been destroyed...

"How..."

"URAHARA!"

Kisuke looked behind to see Rukia, Renji, Uryu, Yasutora Sado (or just Chad), and Orihime running up to him.

"Mr. Abarai, what can I do for you?"

"Cut the crap. Where's Ichigo, is he alright?"

Kisuke could see the worry is all of said shinigami's friend's eyes. Of course, he too, was worried for the kid. Ichigo was his student, and they had a sorta friendship. It was hard not to like him.

Kisuke tried to pacify their worry, "calm down, he's right over there," he pointed to a unconscious Ichigo, just a few meters away.

Renji, Orihime, and Chad rushed over to their fallen friend, while Uryu and Rukia stayed. They looked at the charred for of Aizen.

"Is he really..."

"Yes, Ms. Kuchiki, Aizen's dead. It seems that Kurosaki has struck him down and it overwhelmed the hōgyoku. Thus killing both the host and the parasite."

"Wait, so the hōgyoku is destroyed?"

Kisuke gave a kurt nod. Though it was hard to believe, both causes for this Winter War were gone. It seemed surreal.

"Rukia! Uryu! We're going to take Ichigo to the Fourth Squad barracks!"

Chad was holding Ichigo bridal style (to not make any of his wounds any more serious than before) while Renji held Zangetsu, and Orihime carried the trench knife.

Uryu and Rukia nodded, then Rukia turned to Kisuke, "you coming?"

Kisuke gave another nod, "yeah, let me just clean up here. I'll meet you all there."

The two gave a nod, and then followed the rest of their friends to the barracks.

 ** _-GH-_**

Ichigo opened his eyes, to the dark and broken sight of what his inner world had become. The once proud and tall skyscrapers were now almost completely torn down, with one or two standing almost as tall as before, but still broken. Thunder and crimson lightning roaring in the dark black and red sky that replaced the beautiful blue sky that it had once been before the war. Before he had lost everything.

" _Ichigo_."

Said Shinigami turned around to face both his blade spirits.

"Old Man, Zangetsu, what happened?"

Ichigo and Zangetsu had a rough start, but eventually he came to accept the spirit as his true shinigami power. Though it was a bit strange to call him Zangetsu instead of Hollow. Though occasionally he did call him Shiro, a little nickname sort of.

" **Someth'n happened with your fight with Aizen, King. Some power forced ya back, and set some major burns on your body. Though most of them are healed.** "

" _As for Aizen, we do not know. The blast seemed to have meesed with our senses. We cannot confirm, nor deny that Aizen had suffered from the blast as well, or if he is alive at all._ "

Ichigo nodded in comprehension, "anything else?"

Zangetsu scowled, " **you better watch yourself king. I managed to get some small readings on the reishi out there, and it seems like we are back in the Seireitei. The Fourth division's barracks. Some shinigami might've found you, so we don't know how long you've been out. Keep your guard up, and prepare for an attack at any moment, you know how the hollows tend ta target the healers.** "

Ichigo nodded again, before he regained consciousness, fortifying his mind for what was to come.

 **—Meanwhile—**

During the time Ichigo was conversing with his spirits in his inner world, his friends stayed beside him. Waiting for him to wake up.

Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Isane had spent most of their energy healing his burns, even though it seemed like his hollow side was helping, it still took a while and a lot of energy.

Rukia had one of Ichigo's hands in her's. Tracing her thumb over the black X tattoos, "how do you think he got these. I don't remember him ever having tattoos, let alone dual blades."

"Maybe it was part of the final Getsuga Tenshō?"

"I don't think so, Orihime. Though it would have put a strain on his body, I don't think a move like that would miraculously give someone tattoos that stay, even when that person is not using the attack."

"You have a point, Uryu, however, that seems to be the only option."

"Not true Chad. He's still in Shikai, and he has two blades. He might've gotten some new power."

Rukia hummed, "maybe, Renji, But I don't know."

The room fell into a silence, until Rukia stiffened slightly. She had seen glinting metal underneath Ichigo's sleeve and was curious about it, so she pulled (what seemed like a bracelet) up to his wrist to inspect it.

She looked at the charm from the bracelet, on her hand. It was a cross, a _Quincy_ cross to be exact. It looked exactly like Uryu's, except less in terms of luster, and had tiny chips of dried blood on it.

"What'cha got there Rukia?"

Renji moved closer to see, and his eyes nearly popped from their sockets, "holy crap."

"What?"

Everyone else came closer to see, and looked extremely shocked. Uryu looking confused, as he took his own cross to compare the differences.

"A Quincy cross. Strange, but how did he get one, and more importantly, why is there blood on it?"

Rukia looked to Uryu, "you know anything about this?"

"No, I never knew Kurosaki had one. Much less be able to hide it from the rest of us, considering the first time we met, he had no idea what a Quincy even was."

Renji sighed, "geat, this is getting stranger and stranger. First, Ichigo gets a makeover, then his clothes change, not to mention the dual zanpakto, and now he has a Quincy cross. I'm starting to think that we missed something."

"You forgot that he also has numerous scars littering his body and a reishi seal at the nape of his neck. However, you might not have seen that, as he is now covered in bandages."

They all turned to see Captain Unohana. She and Lieutenant Kotetsu had spent a lot of time healing Ichigo's wounds and burns.

"Scars?"

"Yes, some of them appeared to be years old, others seem fresher; but they all look like hollow marks. Though, there are some that look like blade wounds."

Renji rubbed his head as he could feel a migraine coming on, "Things just keep getting more and more complicated."

Just then, the alarm went off, and a roar shook the barracks, " _all captains report to Sōkyoku hill. A level nine breach has appeared upon Sōkyoku hill, I repeat, level nine breach!"_

Captain Unohana looked towards them, "you should come along too, if it is a level nine breach, we might need all the help we can get," she then turned to her lieutenant, "let's go Isane."

"Hai."

Rukia, Renji, Chad, and Ūryu were all up, they looked to Orihime with a questioning stare, "I'm going to stay with Ichigo and see if I can speed up his healing."

They nodded at her reply and ran quickly to Sōkyoku hill.

 **—Time Skip—**

When the group arrived at the execution site, they all stood by the Captains, and Lieutenants, of the Gotei 13. Even Head Captain Yamamoto was there. Everyone was staring and, some, openly gaping at the large rift. It was a garganta, and a large one at that.

"How the hell did a garganta open up here?!"

Everyone, silently, agreed with the third division lieutenant. The Soul Society was guarded by wards and kido thay prevented any garganta to form. Yet, here was one, and the sheer size of it perplexed everyone.

"However it came to be, we must destroy it!"

Everyone nodded in agreement to the Head Captain, and got ready. Even Ūryu and Chad had their power ready, to lend a hand in case things they needed it. Though, they really seemed to need it, because as soon as all of the zanpaktos were released, hollows, menos grande and adjuchas (large adjuchas), were crawling through the rift.

"Hurry, we must take them out, before they destroy the Soul Society!"

" **Hai!** "

All of the captains and lieutenants charged at the hollows. Trying to take them down, one by one.

 **—0o0o0o0o0–**

Orihime was now walking back to Ichigo's room, carrying a small tray of snacks and tea, in the squad four barracks. She had heard the roars of hollows and stepped out to check if any were going to pose a threat to Ichigo's health. Luckily, they seemed to be all around Sōkyoku hill. Far away from Ichigo.

As she was walking, she couldn't help but be nervous, Ichigo looked almost entirely different from when she last saw him. Maybe it was a result of his three month training in the dangai, or maybe it was a side effect of the Mugetsu technique. Either way, she was a little apprehensive to be there when Ichigo awoke.

But she shook her head. This is _Ichigo Kurosaki_ she was talking about. He's still the protective, caring person she has known throughout high school. At least, she hoped.

When Orihime slid open the paper door, she dropped the tray. The room looked a mess, and most importantly, Ichigo was _missing._

Almost immediately Orihime ran out the door, and started to search for him.

 **—0o0o0o0o0–**

Rukia, along with Renji, Byakuya, and Ukitake were battling a small, but really large in size, group of adjuchas. They were proving more troublesome and had reaulted in calling for back up. It didn't help that one seemed hydra-like, and grew a two new heads every time on was cut off.

"Dammit! This is going to take forever! Where the hell is that back up!"

"Calm down Renji. We need to come up with some sort of strategy, and bait them towards us."

"Rukia is right. Byakuya and I shall buy you two time to find an opening and cut off the masks. Be careful of the multi-headed one. It appears to regrow it's heads in large numbers."

Both lieutenants nodded, "hai."

They took off in a shunpo, while Byakuya calmly turned towards the 13th Captain, "you are trying to get them out of danger, aren't you."

Ukitake just looked at him with tired eyes, "if something were to happen to us, at least they have a chance at escape."

Byakuya just looked at the three adjuchas, and shunpoed towards them, "scatter Senbonzakura."

Ukitake followed not far behind in unleashing his zanpakto.

Renji and Rukia calmly waited, while there was still no sign of back-up. They watched their captains battle

"Dammit, this isn't good, I've got a bad feeling."

Just as he had said that, Captain Ukitake had faltered, as he had been overcome with a coughing fit.

The adjucha, seeing his mistake, swung a clawed arm at the 13th Captain.

"Captain Ukitake!"

However, before Rukia and Renji could interfere, the arm was cut off. An albino, more like bleached, shinigami holding a large Black khyber knife pointed at the hollow.

" **Damn hollow, I'll send you to hell and back!** "

The voice was familiar, but distorted. The albino, charged at the hollows and cut them all down with one hit. After finishing the last one, the multi-headed one (ugh), the albino flash stepped (it sounded more like a sonido though) to the next mass of hollows and eradicating them as well.

Rukia and Renji immediately forgot about the strange shinigami in favor of checking Captain Ukitake's health.

"Captain Ukitake, are you alright?"

Byakuya had met up with them, to get a brief check over on his colleague.

"H-He had a haori."

"What?!"

"The albino, he had a Sixth Division Captain's haori."

Everyone looked to Byakuya, who was wearing his haori, and saw the confusion on his face. _What the hell is going on?_

 **—0o0o0o0o0–**

Uryū and Chad were still at Sōkyoku hill, trying to keep hollows, they were all basic low level ones now, from climbing out of the giant garganta.

Uryū had his bow out infront of him, and fired another barage of arrows at an incoming hoard. Chad using his arms on and off of defense and offense.

"Dammit, we need to close the garganta. We're being overwhelmed!"

Chad nodded solemnly, he was tired but kept on fighting. Ichigo, his friend, needed him; he isn't going to leave Ichigo unguarded and unprotected while he is in a vulnerable state.

It was then a group of hollows got the best of the Quincy and Fullbringer and had pinned them to the ground. Uryū and Chad's powers receding as they lay exhausted and powerless underneath the large beasts.

Just as the hollows were about to bite into them, a black arrow shot at the masks, killing the hollows instantly. More and more arrows were shot and the hollows disintegrated.

Chad and Uryū looked up to see who it was, only to be shocked. Ichigo stood, right hand up and a black bow, tinted red, made of reishi in his hand.

His eyes were closed, brows furrowed in concentration as he shot another hollow that was coming up behind him.

Ichigo then took a deep breath and pointed his bow towards the garganta. He pulled his arm back, and held the arrow. A red ball was forming at the tip of the arrow, slowly getting bigger until it was the size of a ping pong ball.

Ichigo exhaled and spoke in a low voice, "cero."

He let go of the arrow, and the red cero engulfed the arrow, and collided with the garganta. The collision resulted in a mass explosion, and when the dust was clear, the garganta was gone and all surrounding hollows were killed.

A violent cough brought Uryū and Chad back to reality after what had happened. They turned to look at Ichigo, reishi bow gone, on his knees, one hand on the ground keeping him steady, the other covering his mouth. Blood dripping out of cover of his hand.

"Ichigo!"

Uryū and Chad started to run towards their friend, but stopped when they sensed hollow reishi. Getting their weapons ready to defend their friend.

They heard the sound of running footsteps towards Ichigo and a distorted voice calling out, " **King!** "

They saw an albino kneeling besides Ichigo as he continued to violently cough. More blood coming out of his mouth.

" **Dammit King, you idiot! You know you shouldn't use your own energy when using the bow! Not to mention the cero was just going to take an even bigger toll on you! Dammit!** "

By now, some random soul reapers had come to Sōkyoku hill, to assess the damage and report back to their captains. The ablino looked at one, and pointed a finger at them, " **you! Go get the lieutenant of the fourth division now! Quit gaping around and go!** "

The soul reapers left fearfully, and left to report back to the captains. Both the reapers and albino ignoring the Quincy and Fullbringer.

" **Dammit, this is some mess you got yourself into King.** "

Chad then took a step forward, making his presence known to the albino. The Albino then turned to look at them, and the two nearly realed back in shock. The guy looked like an exact carbon copy of ichigo, except with shorter hair, and had golden irises upon black sclera. They recognize that voice now, it was the distortion Ichigo's hollow mask made his voice sound like. The eyes are the eyes of his hollow mask. _That_ is Ichigo's inner hollow!

Uryū and Chad immediately got into an offensive position, powers activated and ready to take action if this hollow turned violent.

The hollow narrowed its eyes at them and unwrapped the bandages from _Ichigo's_ zanpakto, and got into a defensive position above Ichigo.

"Uryū! Chad!"

The three stopped glaring at eachother to see some of the captains and lieutenants, some seated officers as well, around them. All eyes on them. The albino hollow growled at their presence and bristled with anger.

" **Heh, so you're all here. Well, this is going to make my job easier.** "

It's voice dripping with malice as it looked at everyone. Though, still in a defensive position over Ichigo, as said shinigami was now slightly trembling and coughing a bit less violently now.

All of the shinigami got their zanpakto out, and poited their blades at the hollow. Though a few were perplexed when they saw it wore a Captain's haori.

"Hand over Kurosaki Ichigo, hollow, or we will take him by force."

" **Sorry old man. Not happening.** "

The two sides were about to clash when they heard someone shouting.

"Stop!"

It was Captian Unohana, alon with Ukitake, Byakuya, Rukia, Isane, and Orihime.

The hollow saw three of Ichigo's friends in the small group and glowered at them.

"Captain Unohana, what is the meaning of this?"

"Captain Yamamoto, there is something strange going on here, and I believe that the hollow knows what's going on."

" **Oh yeah? Why's that? What makes you think I'd tell you anything.** "

Unohana looked towards Ichigo, who was now trembling on the ground, a small stream of blood dribbling out of his mouth and onto the ground. His breathing was ragged and harsh, his eyes clenching in pain.

"You called for the lieutenant of the fourth division, am I right?" At a curt nod Unohana continued, "then you must want to heal Mr. Kurosaki, which is why you called for a fourth division member. So why do you want to heal Ichigo?"

The albino growled, " **none of your damn business.** "

Rukia then got out from behind Byakuya and looked at Ichigo in horror at his state of being, "Ichigo!"

She started to run towards him, but stopped when the ablino growled threateningly and pointed Zangetsu at her, " **Not. Another. Step.** "

All of Ichigo's friends got ready to fight, the hollow was taking a defensive position over Ichigo again. Almost looking like he was protecting the orange haired shinigami.

The albino was about to make the first move, when Ichigo's arm reached out and grabbed the bottom of the ablino's _stolen_ haori.

"W-Wait. T-They aren't, t-they're n-not dolls."

The hollow faltered at what Ichigo had said, " **what the hell ya talk'n about King. Of course their dolls!** "

 _Dolls?_

Ichigo weakly shook his head, "no, the reishi, i-it's real."

The hollow growled, " **get some rest King, your not in your right mind.** "

Though he looked like he wanted to argue, Ichigo passed out from exhaustion.

"What do you mean dolls?"

The albino growled at the sixth captain, " **stop playing coy, you know what I'm talking about! I'm not falling for that trick again. You may have fooled the King into thinking that you're real, but I'm not fooled for one second!** "

"Stupid hollow! We don't know what you're talking about! So quit talking like you know us and tell us what you mean!"

The hollow nearly flinched at the oh-so-familiar reply from the red headed lieutenant. He and Ichigo had grown closer and closer over the years of war, and seeing this impersonation of his king's friends hurt him almost as much.

" **Dolls, shells, whatever you want to call them, they are all the same; puppets controlled by Aizen's army to infiltrate and destroy the Seireitei!** "

Some were taken aback bu his answer. He didn't care though. The fact that they were using these familiar faces was like rubbing salt into the wound.

"Now I believe there has been a misunderstanding."

Urahara was now strolling up to the albino calmly, Yoruichi walking right behind him. Said hollow, seeing the King's former teachers made him tremble in anger. It was one thing to use his deceased friends, but the King had broken down completely when he had heard that Kisuke and Yoruichi had fallen during the war. It rained for weeks in Ichigo's inner world. For Aizen to use _them_ as puppets was just insulting.

" **What the hell do you want.** "

"Nothing more than an explanation. For, you see, Aizen is dead."

The hollow flinched, and everyone saw that.

" **What the hell do you mean?!** "

"I mean exactly as I say, Aizen is dead," Urahara looked at him from underneath his hat, "you and Ichigo killed him."

That brough shock to everyone, that hollow killed _Aizen?_

The hollow bristled with confusion and anger. **_What the hell is he getting at?!_**

"But of course you wouldn't know that. The blast from the Hōgyoku must have distorted your senses, and you wouldn't have been able to sense him. But try it now, as you can feel, Aizen is no longer of this world."

Even though he didn't want to, the hollow did it anyway. Only to still, the puppet- Kisuke- was right. He couldn't feel any trace of Aizen anywhere. _**What the hell is going on**._ He hadn't even realized he said that out loud.

"Aizen is dead, the Hōgyoku is destroyed. That, is what's going on. Listen, I don't know what caused you to act like this, but let us help."

" **And why should I trust you?!** "

"For the same reason I know that you are Ichigo's inner hollow."

The hollow stilled at that. Not even Aizen knew that he could leave and enter Ichigo's inner world as he pleased. It was a closely guarded secret.

Though everyone else looked at Kisuke in shock, _that's Ichigo's inner hollow?!_

"But you're more than that, aren't you. After all who else, besides Ichigo, can wield Zangetsu, besides the zanpakto spirit himself?"

The hollow growled, " **what the hell do you want.** "

"Come with us, and let us heal Ichigo. We might be able to help eachother."

The hollow reluctantly nodded in acceptance. Urahara smiled and walked up to carry Ichigo, but a bade was put to his throat, " **I'll carry him.** "

Urahara nodded, as much as he could with a blade being pressed to his throat, and waved a hand to placate the officers with their blades drawn.

The albino wrapped the large khyber knife in its bandages, and placed up upon his back. He then turned Ichigo over, and carried him bridal style, his hold was firm and protective. His black and gold eyes daring anyone to betray them.

Urahara nodded, then turned to the officers, "we'll meet you all at the barracks," then shunpoed along with the hollow to the squad four barracks. Leaving a hunch of confused and shocked shinigami, and humans behind.

 ** _-Time skip-_**

When Ichigo opened his eyes, everything was blurry, and he could make out a white blob next to him.

"Shiro?"

His voice was scratchy and hoarse. He needed water.

" **I'm here king.** "

"Water?"

The spirit nodded and sonidoed to get water. When he came back, he helped Ichigo lean forward to drink it all. When he finished, he leaned back upon the futon and closed his eyes again. It was useless to keep them open anyway, every time his shinigami/hollow spirit left his inner world, his vision would be like this. Has been like this for five years now.

"Shiro, where are we? We aren't in the barracks anymore."

" **Nah, _Kisuke_ decided it would be better if you got moved to the Kuchiki house hold. The hollow attack caused a lot of people to get injured, and there wasn't enough space for everyone in the barracks.**"

"There's more, isn't there."

The spirit sighed, " **the _head captain_ didn't trust me, cos of my hollow reishi, and decided that they could better monitor us within the Kuchiki compound**."

Ichigo sighed, "Shiro, they're real. I know their reishi signatures, it _has_ to be them."

" **I know, just, don't get too comfortable King, we don't want a repeat of last time.** "

Ichigo winced, but nodded. Last time he believed that his friends were real, he nearly got killed and gained a new scar from his jawbone to his hip.

"What else happened?"

Zangetsu sighed, " **I told them.** "

"Told them _what_ exactly?"

" **Well...** "

 **—Flashback—**

 _They now just finshed moving Ichigo to the Kuchiki compound. When Zangetsu and Kisuke arived at the Fourth's barracks, it was nearly full of shinigami who got injured in the hollow invasion._

 _Zangetsu was now sitting by Ichigo's side, zanpakto sitting on his lap and khyber knife laying beside him. The Old Man is still upset at Ichigo for leaving him behind in the barracks during the hollow attack. He hadn't moved since Ichigo had been settled into the compound._

 _"So, Zangetsu, we have a few questions we want to ask you. If you don't mind answering."_

 _Said spirit looked at the shop keeper and scowled, " **I don't really have a choice, do I?** "_

 _"Now now, don't be like that, it's just a few. We'll be out of your hair in no time."_

 _" **'We'?** "_

 _Just then, the door slid open to reveal captains Soi Fon, Kuchiki, Kyōrakū, and Yamamoto._

 _"We just want a little explanation."_

 _Zangetsu scowled at them. He still didn't like the idea of trusting them, but right now, he was in no place to argue. So, he told them. About the war, about Aizen, and how long it took._

 _If they were shocked, they didn't show it._

 _"So you are from the future, this is most troublesome. As Aizen is now defeated, that future no longer exists. So we are going into an unknown territory."_

 _"I have one question," eveyone turned to Byakuya, "why do you have my division's haori."_

 _Zangetsu scowled, but looked away, " **during the eighth year of the war, you died. You gave your captain's haori to Ichigo, who gave it to me so that way it would be easier for our allies not to mistakenly attack me because of my hollow reishi.** "_

 _That seemed to surprise the Kuchiki Clan Head a little, "and, pray tell, how did I die."_

 _Shiro stiffened. The deaths of his King's friends wasn't something he liked to talk about. Sure, they may not have been his friends, but he could feel the pain his King felt when he lost them._

 _" **I'm not answer'n that one.** "_

 _Before an argument could break out, Jushiro brought up a question he was waiting to ask, "Unohana said that you asked for the_ Lieutenant _of the Fourth Division, not the Captain or a seated officer. Why would you specifically ask for Isane Kotetsu?"_

 _Shiro scowled, " **When I asked for the Lieutenant, I didn't ask for that girl. I was talking about Hanatarō Yamada. From what I heard, the previous Lieutenant perished on the battlefield trying to heal an ambushed group of shinigami. Not to mention that the little squirt has healed the King before, so he knows what he's doin."**_

 _"What happened in the future?"_

 _He scowled, again, not something he liked to reminisce on, " **Aizen won, basically. Kisuke's seal didn't work and Aizen escaped more powerful than ever. We, the Soul Society I mean, tried to fight back as much as they could. Though, it was useless. For every fight, we lost more than we gained, and eventually the Soul Society became nothing more than a pile of rubble. The King managed to corner Aizen and take 'im down. Then, next thing we know, we ended up 'ere."**_

 _The captains looked like they were going to ask more questions, but Yamamoto got up and looked at the albino, "I believe that is enough questions and answers for now. Though we will be back for more."_

 _The zanpakuto spirit just scowled and nodded, opting to sit beside his King and make sure he is safe. The captains left and Urahara gave Ichigo and his spirit one last look before they headed out. No doubt to make sure they were secure within the estate._

 **—Flashback End—**

Ichigo just nodded his head in acceptance, no point in trying to tale it all back now.

Suddenly the orange haired shinigami sensed reishi signatures that he couldn't tell who due to his fatigue and blood loss. Not to mention exhaustion.

"Shiro, who is it."

"Ichigo?"

Said shinigami flinched at Rukia's voice. He remembered when she died. He _watched_ her die right in front of him.

"R-Rukia? W-Who else is with you?"

Rukia, and everyone else gave a confused look, "just open your eyes dumbass."

Rukia punched Renji, and the red head received a growl and glare from the albino.

" **Listen you little-** "

"It's fine."

Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu's arm before he could punch Renji. It's not his fault that he didn't know about Ichigo's impaired eyesight.

"Ichigo, what happened."

Ichigo turned to Uryū, eyes still closed, and sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"Your hollow told us everything. We want to know about everything. We want to know what happened in the future where you came from."

Ichigo stiffened. So he really was sent back to the past. He sort of figured when he realized that his friend's reishi signatures were real and not fake, but to actually confirm it felt sureal.

Ichigo sighed in defeat and nodded they deserved to know, "alright. In the, _future,_ Aizen created a war that lasted ten years-"

"No, we know about that part. What we want to know is about _you._ " Rukia pointed and accusing finger at Ichigo as she sat beside him.

"Huh?"

"Come on idiot. Like, 'how did you get _two_ zanpakutos? Why do you look different? Why are you eyes closed all the time? Where _the hell_ did you get a _quincy cross_ and _learn how to use it_ ', stuff like that."

Ichigo's lips pressed into a thin line as he thought about it, "alright, fine. What do you want to know?"

Ichigo expanded his senses to know who everyone in the room was. So far there was Renji, Rukia, and Uryū in the room. He idly wondered where Chad and Orihime were, but thought better of it. They were most likely with Unohana or talking with Kisuke.

Rukia spoke first, "first of all, what happened to your eyes? You haven't opened them since you woke up. Did something happen?"

Ichigo sighed, "I can't remember exactly where it happened, or what, but I remember going out to dispatch a couple of Arrancars that had been getting close to the camp we were in. It was at least four years into the war and most of the Seireitei had been turned to rubble.

"I was just about finished when I got ambushed. The eighth espada, Szayelaporro I think his name was, came out and splashed some poison at my face. Luckily, Shiro," he gestured to the hollow beside him, "took out the remaining and the epsada while I was incapacitated. He took me to the Fourth's barracks and I mostly got healed. Though, the poison had damaged my eye sight and eyes.

"So, from then on my eye sight has been impaired. Though, whenever I use my hollow mask my eyes are fine since I'm essentially looking through Shiro's eyes."

The shinigami and Quincy were silent at this. So, essentially, Ichigo has been practically blind for almost six years. During war at that.

Uryū spoke next, "the Quincy Cross, where did you get it?"

Ichigo stiffened at this, and Shiro growled. Shiro was about to tell the Quincy to back off, but Ichigo spoke before he could.

"You gave it to me before you died."

That put an uncomfortable silence within the room. Ichigo balled his fists, almost shaking when he recalled the memory. It wasn't very pretty.

Ichigo was about to say more when Shiro put a hand on his shoulder, " **I think that's enough for now.** "

He pointedly glared at the three visitors and tried to calm Ichigo down.

Rukia nodded, "he's right. You should rest up. We'll be around if you ever need us."

Rukia hurried the other two out and closed the door. Shiro then turned to Ichigo, " **you alright King?** "

"Y-Yeah, I just need a moment to clear my head."

Shiro nodded, then smiled, " **you know, how long has it been since we enjoyed the sun?** "

Ichigo smiled and slowly stopd up with his spirit helping him, "too long."

With that, the two went out the doors off to the side and went out into the garden. Just enjoying the feel of the sun on their skin, and the moment of peace they have acquired.

 **—Changing Time—**

 **(Quick note: Sorry for changing Zangetsu to Shiro. I'm used to the hollow/shinigami side being Shiro/Hichigo/Shirosaki/etc. and Old Man being Zangetsu. So, yeah, I apologize.)**

 **Yo! Guardian Hyren here, uhhh, yeah. I'm stuck with Team of Misfits right now. (Writer's blocks a bi—) anyway, I thought that I would post this as a sort of... thing to read while I continue to write the next chapters.**

 **Also, I need you guys's choice (I was going to write this in the newest chapter of ToM, but writing it is taling too long and I need an answer). In ToM, I keep referencing to a " _last time_ ", I was wondering if y'all want me to elaborate more on that with a Prequal, or a detailed explanation in a chapter of ToM. so, yeah. **

**Anyway, hope Y'all enjoyed and have a great day!**

 **-GH**


	2. Chapter 2

**—Changing Time—**

For once, since the war with Aizen, Ichigo felt calm. He was completely relaxed in the Kuchiki's garden, by a pond, sitting underneath a large willow tree.

He felt a body shift besides him, but paid no attention and continued to meditate. He let his senses reach out to as far as they could go, a bit of a habit mind you, and sensed for any on coming danger.

It was when he reached over to where he was found by Urahara, the little desert area where he first fought Aizen, that he sensed something faint. It was too small to recognize, but large enough to be considered a threat if left unchecked. _What_ it was, well, he'll have to find that out later. He was (read: still) too exhausted from closing the garanta to do any investigation at the time.

Though, that was his fault, wasn't it. Uryū, from his time line, had told him time and time again that if he were to use his own reishi, instead of the reishi from the environment, then he would be left exhausted. Adding the cero didn't really help either.

Not to mention that ever since the attack that impaired his eye sight, his physical health hadn't been at its best. It sort of reminded him of Jushiro, with how both he and the captain of the thirteen squad are both sick. Though, his wasn't as serious as the Captain's. Ichigo just had to make sure that he kept a certain amount of reishi in his body, to fight off the illness the poison caused, and to not exhaust himself.

Though, he supposed, using a cero _and_ quincy arrow at the same time would put a monkey wrench into that system. Just one caused his (very) slowly decaying body stress, both at the same time would not only _help_ the _decay_ , but slow the recovery. Hanatarō had actually _reprimanded_ him a couple times when he put a lot of stress on his body in his timeline.

Ichigo sighed and layed down on his back and put his arms underneath his head for a cushion. He, and couldn't believe he actually thought this, wished he could go back to his timeline. At least there he had come to terms that most of his friends are dead. Being here felt like ripping those healing stitches right off and opening the wound again.

However, he couldn't ignore this nagging feeling at the back of his skull. Too small to be a headache, but it was starting to feel like one.

" **Hey King."**

Shiro's voice broke him out of his musings, "yeah?"

" **You felt that too, right?** "

Ichigo paused and then took a moment to fan out his senses. _There_! On top of Sōkyoku hill, where the garganta had opened up, that's where the source is. The feeling of this _thing's_ reishi made Ichigo feel nauseas. If it were for Shiro dulling the feeling with his own reishi, because he could feel what Ichigo was feeling, he would have possibly thrown up his lunch. (Did he even have lunch?)

"It feels, _volatile._ What is it?"

" **I don't know, but once you recover, we'll check it out.** "

Ichigo gave a curt nod in acceptance since arguing with his counterpart was futile when he was in (what Old Man Zangetsu liked to call) "mother-hen mode". Shiro would fuss abut him and make sure he was alright. The behavior started just a little while after the incident that impaired the strawberry's sight, as well as health.

"I'm feeling better now, so let's go. The sooner the better."

Before Shiro could respond, Ichigo got up from his position and tried to stand. Keyword _tried_. Reishi exhaustion is serious, and though he knew that, his anxiety wouldn't let him be until he figured out just what that feeling was.

Ichigo swayed a little until Shiro caught him before he could fall. The albino was about to start arguing with the strawberry to stay down and heal, until the sounds of footsteps got louder and louder.

Both looked up to see (well, to Ichigo it was a blob) of a certain white-clad quincy.

Uryū adjusted his glasses and looked at his friend, "shouldn't you be resting Kurosaki? Captain Unohana had said that you had a mild case of reishi exhaustion."

Ichigo snorted while Shiro scowled, " **and what are ya doin here? Thought you and the others might have gotten back to tha world of tha living by now.** "

Uryū looked at the spirit, "the shinigami are putting back Karakura town as we speak. We, as in the other humans and I, will be returning tomorrow."

" **Sure, but that doesn't explain why you're _here_ specifically. What business do ya have with the King?**"

Uryū sighed and shifted a little, "though it may not be the right time, as you are still healing, I was hoping you could tell me what Quincy techniques you have learned. Though it is completely understandable if you do not wish to disclose that information at the moment."

Ichigo looked to the white blob that was Uryū and gave a slight smile, "sure, but let's sit down, might take a while." _Besides, it's not like Shiro's gonna let me leave the estate anyway,_ he thought.

While Ichigo and Uryū were talking about techniques, Rukia watched the exchange from afar. She knew it was Ichigo Kurosaki, but-at the same time it wasn't him at all. It confused her to no end.

"Yo, Rukia."

Rukia looked behind her to see Renji, she gives him a nod of acknowledgement and goes back to watching her friend.

"He seems so different, yet- he's still the same. It's so, weird."

"I just hope that whatever happened, he moves past that and moves on. It seems like whatever happened has haunted him."

Renji paused a moment before taking a look at Ichigo. Said person was laughing at something Uryū had said, while the quincy had a feint blush coating his face. Shiro then said something the red head couldn't quite hear making the quincy blush harder and making Ichigo laugh harder.

A small smirk came to Renji's face as he watched the interaction. No doubt in his mind that Rukia was thinking of something similar.

"Yeah, but the idiot's strong, and he has us, we can help him get through this."

Rukia hummed as she watched the trio.

It was at the moment Ichigo stiffened and shot up to his feet, a far away look on his face as he stared at Sōkyoku hill. His eyes glazed over as he stared at it's peak.

Uryū looked with feint worry upon his face, eyes showing concealed concern.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?"

Ichigo's entire stance then changed into one prepared to run, his face then changed one to horror.

Rukia and Renji immediately walked towards Ichigo, slowly but surely. Rukia held out a hand towards Ichigo, hopefully to shake him out of his trance.

"Ichigo, what's going on? What's happening?"

Ichigo'seyes widened and he grimaced, "no, no, NO!"

Before anything else could happen, Ichigo left using a combination of Sonido and Shunpo. The speed was impressive, even Yoruichi would be impressed.

Though it was obvious to where he went, because not even a minute later, Sōkyoku hill exploded with reishi. One Ichigo's, the other unknown.

Just then the alarm blared, " **ALL CAPTAINS REPORT TO SŌKYOKU HILL, I REPEAT ALL CAPTAINS REPORT TO SŌKYOKU HILL!** "

Renji, Uryū, and Rukia looked at each other with worry in their eyes. Though they only called for captains, Ichigo was their friend, and they'd be damned before they let him deal with a threat alone.

 **—At Sōkyoku Hill—**

When they arrived at Sōkyoku hill the captain commander and a handful of captains were already there, a few ways away from the peak of the hill. However, upon closer inspection they could see dust clouds and the lingering reishi of their orange haired friend.

The spiritual level continued to rise so fast and far, that the head captain and the captain of the fourth put a barrier around the shinigami, and quincy, who came.

"What's going on?!"

Renji's question was ignored at the Captain Commander called to the captain of the twelfth.

"Captain Kurotsuchi! Report!"

"There seems to be an anomaly. The spiritual levels are rising and decreasing at a significant rate, there also seems to be something that, what looks like _poisoning_ , the reishi in the air. The only thing keeping it from infecting us is the enormous energy being produced by all the captains. The particles being emitted by us are so condensed that it acts like a barrier. Anyone with reiatsu less than a seated officer or higher would no doubt be infected."

All they could see was a blur of black and white, the sounds of steel against steel, and the sparks of the clash between blades. It was surreal.

Suddenly the two figures parted and they could clearly see who was clashing at the top of the peak. Rukia eyes widened in surprise, shock, and horror.

First she saw Ichigo, his back towards them, both blades brandished and pointed towards the enemy infront of him. His hair was actually really long, reaching down to the small of his back, a jutted horn pointed forwards from the too of his head.

His opponent, however, was not as distinguished. It looked like a black ink monster, streaks of a mercury white substance dripping down its arms and a shining metallic blade connected to its arm. The blade seemed to be dripping down the monster's arm, looking like it was in a perpetual state of flowing from solid to liquid then solid again.

Upon the monster's back were ripped butterfly-like wings, crumbling apart at the seams. In the middle of the monster's chest, however, was the shining blue orb of the hogyoku.

Rukia gasped and put her hands to cover her mouth in shock. Faintly she could hear the other's ripples of varying degrees of shock and unease as all eyes landed on the hogyoku.

Renji looked like he had the winded knocked out of him, "no way..."

There, standing (if a pile or goop and semi consistent bile could stand) off against one Ichigo Kurosaki. Aizen's new form reminded her of a video game Orihime once showed her. _Bendy's Ink Machine_ she thinks it was called (it was strange but intriguing) and this monster reminded her of the tall inky monster-y version of the dancing demon.

Ichigo's face was contorted into rage, exhaustion, fear and so many more. It was strange to see so many emotions flash across her friend's face in one moment.

A distorted and watery chuckle came from the melting monster, " _what's wrong Kur-o-sa-ki,_ " he dragged out the syllables to emphasize what he was saying, "you think you've _won_. A little travel through the dangai won't be enough to kill me! You're all alone, just like before!"

Ichigo scowl deepens and anger could be felt flowing off of him in waves. Almost like he wants to say something, but can't choke it out.

"What's wrong _Kurosaki_ , you think I'm wrong? You think that just because your _friends_ ," he spit the word out like it was poison, "will help you now that they are alive?!"

Aizen cackles like it's the funniest joke he's ever heard, and frankly, it was a but terrifying hearing a pile of goop laugh like that. With so much animosity.

"Do you really think they would help you, after they figure it out? After they learn _what you_ **did?"**

Ichigo stills after hearing that. His entire form frozen at Aizen's words.

"Shut up."

His voice is so small, hardly anyone heard it. Aizen heard it though, and he just laughs again.

"Do you _really_ think that they want to be allies with you after they learn about what you've **done**?"

"Shut up!"

"They will turn on you, outcast you just like they did in the previous timeline!"

"I said **shut up!** "

A large getsuga arched it way towards Aizen, who immediately flashed stepped out of the way. Ichigo wasn't thinking clearly, and that made him all the more easy to manipulate.

"Think about it, Kurosaki. History is doomed to repeat itself."

With those final parting words, Aizen flash stepped away, leaving the captains, two lieutenants, and quincy alone with the orange haired shinigami.


	3. Chapter3

**Hey what's up, so, I got some news: I'm not dead???**

 **I honestly feel really bad for not posting in a while, but I feel like if I force myself to write these chapters they just turn out bad- or at least not how I intended to make them. So, I'll try to post more often, but my life's been kinda hectic lately and this is more of a hobby. I'm tryin to work towards the end and hopefully I'll get there.**

 **Anyway, enough of the mush, here's the real news: I participated in the _Bleach Big Bang 2019_ and I really enjoyed doing it. There's art for this fic in the link:**

 **Or go to Teresashiho's blog on Tumblr (the art is so amazing Icannotbelieveorcomprehend-)**

 **Anway, here's the chapter**

 **{o0o0o}**

The hill was silent for a second time. Ichigo sank to his knees, shaking in (rage? anger? grief?) it wasn't clear. However, it was clear that he was upset."Ichigo-"Before Rukia could utter another word, the orange haired shinigami hybrid used a combination of shunpo and sonido and left Sōkyoku hill as fast as he could.

Everyone stood in silence for a moment before Yamamoto called a captains meeting. Said captains left, albeit reluctantly, to the meeting hall. The last to leave, surprisingly, was the captain of the Sixth Division. Byakuya stared at the spot where Kurosaki had once occupied, a slight frown on his face, before he left as well. Leaving Rukia, Renji, and Uryū at the top of the hill.

"What the hell was that?"

"It seems," Uryū adjusted his glasses and stared off into the distance where he felt Ichigo's reishi reappear, "that Aizen is not as dead as Urahara claimed to be."

——

Ichigo rushed off of Sōkyoku hill to the last known place where he'd felt Aizen's reishi.

The little desert area was as dry as it has always been, but it didn't bother Ichigo so much. He was more worried about the dead-but-not-dead-monster.

The orange haired hybrid landed right in front of Aizen's "corpse". It really was indistinguishable, couldn't even really tell if it was a corpse or not. Charred remains continued to smoke and a large gaping hole in the center of the chest was the only indication it could have been Aizen.

Without even thinking, Ichigo took his khyber blade and slashed straight through the charred remains. The image appeared to waver until it fizzled out like a light; or more specifically, a mirage.

Ichigo snarled and he could hear Old Man cursing and Shiro raging in his mind. Of course. Of. Fucking. Course. Honestly, he should have seen it sooner, if he himself had survived that blast then of course that bastard had survived. That damn Hogyoku must've kept him safe.

Taking a deep breath, Ichigo tried to calm himself and sat down on the ground in a meditative position. He closed his eyes and when he reopened them he was within his inner world. Red lightning flashed and crackled above displaying his anger.

"King."

Ichigo turned around and was face to face with one of his spirits. Shiro's eyes seemed calm, but Ichigo could feel the rage. Ichigo took a deep breath to be at least calm enough to speak without shouting.

"We need to find him."

"Of course. The question is how? He's managed to evade us for nearly ten years. The only time we've actually managed to track him was when he was weakened."

"It is clear from what we saw that his state IS weakened. To what extent- however- is not known. From now on we need to maintain focus and be on high alert."

Ichigo slumped down and cradled his head in his hands, "it's not just him being here that sets me on edge. What he said-" he broke off with a wince.

His spirits could sense his distress and tried to comfort him, "s'all right king. This ain't gonna be like last time. We'll fix it, we'll fix everything."

"But what if he's right. What I did then was unforgivable- hell I would've been executed had Central 46 and the Captains caught me-"

"Yer heart was in the right place, you thought you could end the war. S'not your fault, Azien's just a bastard."

"You made a gamble, and it didn't work out in your favor. But we still managed to stop Aizen in his tracks."

"I know, I just- I thought I could control them. With how the hierarchy goes I thought-"

"Ya thought you could behave like a regular vasto lorde and control the adjuchas. King, it's not your fault."

"Dammit I know! You guys keep saying and I just- I thought it would work, that we could stop them and turn them around on Aizen."

Ichigo lifted his head from his hands and leaned into Shiro sitting beside him, "I just want this time to be different. I want to save everyone."

Zangetsu stood beside his partner, "and you will."

"We'll make sure of it."

 **——EDIT——**

 **Hey, sorry for the long updates, didn't want to put this is a separate chapter because I didn't want to have everything changed. I normally update on my phone, but the chapters are saved in google docs and when I copy and paste it transfers weird so I end up having to do a lot of editing.**

 **Anyway, apparently there's been theft going around so, in case anyone gets any funny ideas,**

 ** _I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION TO RE-UPLOAD OR UPLOAD MY FICS ONTO ANY OTHER WEBSITE. PLEASE DO NOT._**


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